Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

DC ON HEELS and TOP RANK VINTAGE are proud to announce the winners of the Holiday Recipe Giveaway contest. There were so many tasty recipes to choose from. This contest  showcased what a multicultural and flavorful city we live in--from Filipino chicken stew to a Peruvian Pisco Sour, the flavor profiles came from all across the map. Winners will command their style in the European military inspired coats pictured below by Top Rank Vintage. 

 Cocktail recipe winners will stay warm and cozy in this winter army hat. 

Lorenzo Sevilla of Washington D.C. will be sporting his new coat thanks to his winning chicken stew recipe.

Ginataang Manok is a chicken stew simmered in coconut milk and spices. Yum! One of the most favorite Filipino ingredients is coconut milk, or known to all the locals as "Gata" or "Ginataan." See we're not only going to be eating and trying out a new recipe, but we're learning all about the Filipino culture and language as well. It's a win win situation. 

Ingredients: 

3-4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips or cubes



1 Tbsp crushed ginger 



1 Tbsp crushed garlic



1 Tbsp fish sauce (patis)



1 Tbsp fresh ginger, julienned

1 small onion, sliced very thin

1 stalk lemongrass, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper



1 can coconut milk



1/2 each red and green bell peppers, sliced into strips

Coarse ground salt.

Method:

1. Wash and pat dry chicken thighs; rub with crushed garlic, crushed ginger and patis. Let stand in refrigerator for about an hour.

2. Heat 1-2 Tbsp of canola oil in a wok or large sautée pan at medium-high heat. Sautée onions and julienned ginger until soft and fragrant. Do not let it get too browned.

3. Add chicken and cook on med-high to high heat until thoroughly done and meat is nicely browned. Add lemongrass and crushed red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute.

4. Add coconut milk and bell peppers and gently simmer, covered, on low-med heat for about 10 minutes. If you prefer a thicker consistency, simmer uncovered to reduce coconut milk.

5. Salt to taste and serve over steamed rice.


Karima Puche of Burke, Virginia is our women's coat winner. Her fried chicken and onion recipe uses special spices like rosemary, curry and paprika to vamp up her pollo.

Fried Chicken with Onions

Ingredients:-

Cooking Oil

3 medium sized Onions (cooking Onions)

1 Chicken (cut in 8 pieces without skin)

2 Garlic cloves

Spices:- Rosemary, Curry, Paprika & Salt (to taste)

2 cups of cold Water

Tomato paste

Method:-

• Peel onions, then chop.
• Cut Chicken pieces into “eatable portions”, remove white colored fat then wash & remove slimy guts.
• Place pot on fire, pour some Oil. Allow Oil to heat. Add Onions into pot then stir from time to time until golden in color.
• Add Chicken into pot then stir to mix.
•  Chop Garlic, add to pot then stir to mix.
•  Add half a small spoon of Rosemary into pot (by crushing & grinding using hand), half a small spoon of Curry, 1 full table spoon of Paprika & 1 small spoon of Salt (to taste). Stir to mix.
• Increase fire, add 2 cups of cold Water into pot, stir then cover & wait until boiling point. Reduce fire then cook for 40 minutes.
• Add 1 spoon of Tomato paste then stir until boiling point
•  Serve hot. Goes nicely with Rice (optional).          

 COCKTAIL RECIPE WINNERS:

Cheers to Lauren DeSantis of Capital Cooking who shared with us one of her favorite winter cocktail recipes  appropriately titled 7 Swans A Swimming. 

Ingredients:

1 shot 360 Chocolate Vodka

1/2 shot DiSaronno Amaretto

1 shot Bailey's Irish Cream

1 shot cream

Preparation:

Combine all of the liquors in a shaker full of ice. Strain liquor into martini glass.  It's that simple and it's that good! 

Our final winner is Marcella Villanueva of Washington, D.C. who sent us a tasty Peruvian Pisco Sour recipe. 

The pisco sour cocktail, invented in Peru around 1900, uses a pico (Peruvian grape brandy) that has a bit of bite to it---to create the balance in this creamy, flavorful frothy lime flavored drink.  

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) pisco
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon pasteurized egg whites

Preparation:

In a blender, whirl 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Whirl until you no longer hear the ice cracking against the side of the blender and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters and a wedge of lime. 

Congrats to all of our winners and Happy Holidays from DC on HEELS. 

That's all from DC ON HEELS "Bringing you the best in food, fashion and fun in the metro area."

   Besos xoxoxo Vanessa

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The Big O, Cheap bargain finds, and Heel of the week!

THE BIG O: MOST POWERFUL CELEB ON THE BLOCK

Forbes came out with their list of World's Most Powerful Celebrities for 2010, and it's noooo shock that Oprah Winfrey took--or rather earned the number one spot. So how exactly does Forbes make their list and what does most "powerful" really mean? Well the term "power" is not juts about income. They factor in fame, which it measures by calculating how often the individual is mentioned in print, TV, radio and on the Internet. Beyonce Knowles came in at number two, and "Avatar" director James Cameron was number three on the list. Rounding out the top 5 was Lady Gaga just above Tiger Woods at the 4 and 5 spots. I was surprised to see Britney Spears on the top ten (#6 actually) considering she's been pretty low key for the past couple of years-- post head shaving, umbrella hurling incidents of the past.

But clearly this grown up pop princess still has it and is still being written, and talked about. Like now I suppose!!! Since I am writing about her this very second. Ok I am stopping.

So will the Oprah empire ever die down even now that she is planning to step down from her throne? I doubt it. Oprah is and will continue to be a powerhouse--just not always on camera. She'll be working it--behind the scenes. Say what you want about Oprah (and her weight battle) but their is something about this woman that connects to EVERYONE. And that my friends is truly POWERFUL. Ok segwaying from the rich, powerful and famous to most of us normal folks reality: BARGAIN FINDS!

BARGAIN FINDS @ MARSHALLS!!!!

Ok I usually showcase the stiletto of the week, but this weeks heels are extra special because they are not only stunning, but such a BARGAIN find. Nothing is more thrilling than the hunt of a true bargain. I have always loved shopping at consignment shops and thrift stores.Though its been around for a long time, I never noticed how great Marshalls is. Marshalls has such incredible deals-- designer pieces for just a fraction of the cost! And yes you have to be in the mood to shop around and dig a little, but it's well worth the time. These days with the economy we are all looking for a little relief in our wallets and stores like Marshalls and Tj Max are doing just that! I'm sure even Oprah has shopped there with her BFF Gayle King at one time or another.

Heel of the week:

Yes I feel like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz in these shoes. They are super comfortable even with a 3" heel. I love the peep toe look for summer, and guess what?!!! I paid just $40 dollars for them at Marshalls.

Swimwear:

Picked up this hot pink bikini number for the pool

Love the strapless top. No tan lines yay!

Made by one of my favorite surfer girl brands

And the best part was that it was only $20.00!

Houseware:

This potpourri owl is so cute. Great for a gift or for yourself! I just had to get it. Smells so nice in my apartment thanks to the fresh citrus notes permeating through the air. It's functional and decorative. Did I mention I got it for $15.00?

Do you have any favorite bargain stores or amazing bargain shop finds? Comment below in the comments section or email us at dconheels@gmail.com with your cheap find and photo and will feature it on the blog!

GIVEAWAY:

Don't forget to enter to win Capital Cooking Cookbook. Priced at $29.00 on Amazon, this could be yours for FREE and its autographed by Lauren De Santis! All you have to do is "like" us on our facebook page, and you are automatically entered to win. While your there, tell us a favorite food or recipe you can't live with out!

Vanessa xoxoxxo

Hot in the kitchen with Lauren DeSantis and Fashion Disaster and Darlings

M&V WITH CAPITAL COOKING'S LAUREN DE SANTIS:

We had so much fun in the kitchen with DC's favorite culinary gal from the hit show Capital Cooking with Lauren DeSantis.

We were basting. chopping, cutting, boiling...ok not really, Lauren did most of the work since cooking is neither my or Markette's strong suit. (Look out for our segment titled "Kitchen Confessionals"--where the three of us share our kitchen disaster stories) Lauren showed Markette and I how to make a delicious Tzaziki dip from her new cook book.

Lauren's hit show Capital Cooking takes viewers on a gastronomic journey and her NEW accompanying cook book contains over 90 different recipes including appetizers, main entrees, cocktails, and tons of cooking tips. The best advice Lauren gave us was: keep it simple, prep your ingredients, don't be afraid to dig in, and of course have fun! YOU can win an autographed copy of Lauren's cook book too. "Like" DC on HEELS, post your favorite cooking tip on our wall, and voila you will be automatically entered to win Lauren's new cook book.

You can also buy her cook book from www.amazon.com which retails for $29.99

We kept it fun of course!

All smiles here

Eating the Tzatziki dip that Lauren showed us how to make

And lets not forget about the cocktails we made: Mango Margarita and the Flirtini

To check out more photos go to our FACEBOOK page. Stay tuned for our interview with Lauren. Only on dc50tv.com

FASHION DISASTERS AND DARLINGS: FOR EVERY MISTAKE YOU ARE FINED $100

Brown shirt, red bra showing, brown skirt, and running shoes??? Fined $300

Only one mistake here, one BIG mistake--Is it a boot or a sandal? Not loving these at all

Fined $100 buckaroos

Ok this isn't sooo bad, I just didn't know helmets had "hair flair"-- It's kind of rock and roll though so I get it. Partially fined $50

Thank goodness I ran into Yanee from Alexandria, Va.

Love the floral skirt and strappy sandals!

Yanee is picture perfect in this flirty mini skirt and tank. The tank is form fitting and the fun floral pattern on the skirt keeps it young and fresh. The yellow strappy sandals by Steve Madden add the right kind of "flair" to her look and black sunglasses and an oversized boho bag keeps things urban.

Yanee's three favorite bargain stores to shop are:

Steve Madden (for shoes, like her sandals pictured above)

H&M

Urban Outfitters

Yanee says it's important to keep things light and comfortable for the hot summer, that's why skirts are the perfect choice. She says to steer clear of jeans, as they can look cute but leave you feeling like a hot sweaty mess.

xoxoxoxo

Vanessa